Depression

[John Lawson]

Yes, Virginia, there is a depression.
For the first time since the early 30's, blue collar workers in this area are out of work, having been retired early or simply laid off permanently because of automation, outsourcing jobs overseas, importing much more in the way of trade goods than we manufacture, and a daily depreciation of the buying power of our money. It isn't q;uite as noticeable as in 1932 because of social welfare, food banks, federal help schemes and social security, but if you look into the problem, it will grow before your eyes. I don't personally know anybody who starved to death, but I know of several old people who froze to death during an exceptionally cold winter because their utilities were turned off by a kind municipality that pays professional welfare welchers to continue proliferating another generation of welfare welchers while ingoring ordinary, honest working people who fall on hard times.
And, come on over,, and I'll introduce you to hundreds of families whose children and former breadwinners go to bed hungry most nights. Get your head out of that un-sunlit place. The true fault is Globalism and a constantly depreciating value of our fiat currency.
Better still, look up your local food banks and stand outside on the days they give away food. You'll be shocked, but better informed on the status of our depression.
Incidentally, the reason unemployment figures are low is that when a former worker's unemployment entitlement runs out, the gov't. no longer considers that person unemployed, thus hiding the critical condition of the economy from the masses.

[John Stevenson]

John,
Are you depressed ?

[CCWKen]

Ditto Mr. Lawson.

Isn't strange that the "wage index" just went UP over 1%. This occurred during the hurricanes in the South that put over 400,000 out of work. The same period that Colorado is asking for tax rebate hold-backs. It must be all the bonuses management must be getting for holding down the cost of personnel. That's the only wages I see increasing.

Our county leaders just gave themselves a 150% increase in salary. Then, fired the lead tax assessor. I'm thinking deeper Gouging is in store for us.

[BillH]

Find a new line of work. Must adapt.

[Carl]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Find a new line of work. Must adapt.</font>

True. Economy is growing at a 3 or 4 percent annual rate. Unemployment rate is around 5 percent, it was 25 percent or more during the Great Depression.

[Mcgyver]

doesn't make it easier for the people in crunch, but the reality is the accelerated pace of change means the economy can be booming and there's still lots of lost souls. not the same as a depression though.

as to who to blame for the loss of manufacturing jobs… popular targets are business leaders, union leaders and politicians. Hogwash, they are all at best reactionary.

Really want to find the culprit? look at everyone you pass as you walk down the street. As a society, we sought, above retaining a NA manufacturing base, less work and more inexpensive material goods. More for less. Yes we did it to ourselves, blaming others is just sour grapes. That doesn't mean its not sad or unfortunate, but its reality and as Bill said far better to put the energy into adapting than griping.


[This message has been edited by Mcgyver (edited 11-03-2005).]

[Happy]

I guess some of these people might need to move. Around here,(MPLS)I don't know a single person who wants to work, who hasn't found a job. It's funny, but if you go up North, were people like to live, there are not very many jobs, but land is cheap, it's uncrowded, and you can hunt and fish all day. Here, land is expensive, everyone drives up North to fish, the roads are clogged, but it's easy to find a job. so what happens, the people up north want the government to bring them jobs. They don't want to move, because other than having no jobs, it is a lot better place to live, because if they all had jobs, then the land and houses would get expensive, and the roads clogged. The successful people move to where the jobs are, the others, they just sit around up north and complain to the government that there aren't any jobs up north. I work with a lot of guys from up north, and they all complain about not having jobs up North, because it is such a better place to live, except, there are no jobs. Every one of them would move back, except, there aren't any jobs.

Please, do not take this as an explanation about where you are, John, because I don't know your area.

[JRouche]

I dont see alot of the depression you talk about here (So Cal.). I do see poverty but not like what you describe. I wonder if it is regional?

John Lawson Wrote: "I don't personally know anybody who starved to death, but I know of several old people who froze to death during an exceptionally cold winter because their utilities were turned off "

It really is sad, you have the likes of Bill Gates from Washington state giving millions upon millions (billions?) to foreign (and local) causes (HIV, Malaria) when the folks in his own state are dying. JRouche

[rsr911]

McGyver has it right, we did this to ourselves. We want more stuff and we want it cheaper so WE buy imported goods or goods produced overseas. I have two primary vehicles, the first is a Ford Ranger 4x4 FX4 Level II and the second is a 1966 Porsche 911 both are what I consider to be the best in their class for the money spent. I have no problem buying foreign when it's for reasons of quality or features I cannot get in a domestic product and i have no problem if it's a product of equal quality at a lower price.

What we have is a visicous cycle, we want more for less so the we as employees demand more pay for our work so we can buy more stuff but to pay those wages our employers have to charge more until they've priced themselves well above what an imported product sells for. Then we turn around and buy that lower priced product. Smart businessmen look for ways to streamline production through automation and other means so they can reduce the number of highly paid employees they have on payroll. To top it off we demand certain safety in our work environment, certain rights as employees, quality air and water etc. and then whole new departments with the resulting overhead are added to the cost of the product like safety, human resources, environmental departments. Those desk jobs bring zero value to the product yet increase the costs to produce it.

IMHO the truly necessary parts of a solid company are administration, R&D, sales, QC, production and maintenance but each department needs to be efficient for the company to succeed.

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-Christian D. Sokolowski

[Yankee1]

Hello John,
Back in 1953 I was in Germany and found that a Buick Special that sold for 2500.00 in the states was being sold for 10,000.00 there. When I asked about the price I was informed that the goverment there was protecting the jobs of their citizens. I wonder if thet are experiencing the same situation that we are here.I feel that if a country that we trade with does that then we should make it reciprical.
Chuck